Routines

Investigation:Michelle-3

Subject: Michelle Rovert
Local Date: December 8th, 2019
Local Time: 2200

This interview was conducted following the protocols detailed as per the S.I.M-H Diagnostic Manual#2
This conversation was led by Psychiatrist Dr. [REDACTED] and lead investigator b5c2d7
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They sat in a brightly lit white room with cushioned walls and floors. There was a table in the center. Michelle sat on one side, handcuffed, and a police investigator on the other. In the corner of the investigator's side was a thin psychiatrist with  grey wispy beard wearing a white lab coat. 

The officer spoke first, "Michelle, you're looking better since the last time. Growing your hair out?"
She looked at the officer. His badge number was an alphanumeric series, but his bald head and rounded belly were more recognizable. Michelle sat upright, brown hair swaying forward, and spoke with confidence, "I've always preferred it at shoulder length".
The officer smiled, and walked towards the chair opposite of Michelle. He sat and laid his hands onto the table with his palms up, empty-handed. "Michelle, you seem well. I'll be honest, we're only asking you stay here and help us a little longer. There were inconsistencies from the last time we spoke, which we need your help straightening out. It's the quickest way to resolve all of this."
Michelle took a deeply slow, steady breath, and exhaled. The officer continued, "Your worried about your friend and your friend's family is extremely worried too. Please help me do my job."

Michelle's eye met with the police investigator's. They were tired eyes. However, Michelle felt no sympathy or empathy. Only exhaustion.  Michelle spoke calmly, alternating her direction between the investigator and the psychiatrist, who was face-down in his purple notepad.
"I told you all everything already. And the other investigators earlier as well. That guy in the dark suit and that Russian psychiatrist. And others even before them. What inconsistencies were there?" 

"Inconsistencies, Michelle, inconsistencies. If you would kindly just please recount the events from that night for us, one more time,  then that will be the last time we ask you such questions in this room.

"Okay, I will tell you again, once more."

                                                                                 -

Michelled leaned her head back in the white room and closed her eyes. "On that night...I got back to my apartment late after work around 9. The bus ran late. My apartment, from when I had walked inside, seemed normal. So I took my shoes off by the door and stretched like always, then I went to shower. That's where things first looked off-in the bathroom I mean. The toothpaste cap was off, and my medicine cabinet was open. Some bottles lay sitting beside the sink."

The investigator interjected, "Were there any loose medications laying outside of the bottles? On the counter perhaps, or the floor?"
"No, they were sealed shut."
"And to double-check: You're certain you didn't leave them out before work that morning?"
 Michelle nodded. "I always seal them and put them away after brushing my teeth. And I'm certain I closed the toothpaste that morning. But like I said before, I woke up late to my alarm again. It's happened too often lately. So I was rushed that morning, especially with the dog."
Michelle then shook her head erratically. "Anyways it didn't matter and I didn't want to give it more thought than it needed. So I just put everything away, then showered, and got dressed in my room. My room was messier than normal, but yes, I was tired and overworked."

The investigator interrupted again, "Through the mess, did you notice anything missing?"

Michelle shook her head with visible impatience. "No. Like I said, there was one pyjama shirt which I couldn't find. It was my favorite. But I thought it was scattered in the mess. Since Carmella had went missing I haven't had the energy to clean after work. I'm sure I will find my shirt when I have time. Anyways, I went to the kitchen to reheat a plate of pizza from the night before. But there was none left, which baffled me. I needed to eat, so I ended up ordering another one. And to preemptively answer your question: Yes officer, I still have the receipt to show it. Top-left drawer of my office desk at home. Although, the weird thing is that there was a plate which was inside the sink. The same plate I had left the pizza in from the night before."

"I remember. What was weird about that again?"

"Well you know I'm organized. I always scrub my dishes then put them into the dishwasher. I didn't think anything of it, so I went and sat on the couch. Then I smelled her- Carmella. Her sweet apple-lavender scent that faded weeks ago was stronger than ever. I thought she was back like she said  I thought that she was there somehow. My apartment's too small to really hide anywhere, so I called her phone. It obviously it was off. So I called Carmella's sister, Kim, and she thought Carmella was back this whole time. She thought that we were both at my apartment right now."
"That must've been confusing to hear."
Michelle kicked back from the table, sliding herself and her chair towards the padded wall behind her. "Of course! Confusing and scary. I hadn't talked to Carmella since she vanished. She always said she'd come back-but when? I told Kim that her sister and I are absolutely not together right now. Whatever information she was told was a lie."
"I take it Kim didn't take that news very well."
Michelle slowly shook her head. "Oh no, she did not. She began getting angry and panicked.  And she wouldn't tell me why she thought Carmella was back either. She kept asking if I've been taking my medication, and I assured her I have been. I have a calendar to keep track of it. I sign it right after taking them.  She obviously didn't believe me- and neither do you two, or the other investigators I spoke to. SHE was in MY place of living, after all this time I've been looking for her, so why am I forced into these interrogations?"


The police investigator stood up from the chair and walked towards the door. He turned and looked at Michelle for a moment, then as gently as possible he assured her, "Michelle...these aren't interrogations. We really are trying to help." The investigator then turned to the in-house psychiatrist and bluntly said, "Same story again."
The psychiatrist nodded in his office chair at the corner of the room. Fixated on that purple clipboard as always. From his chair,without looking up, he spoke, "Well, let's all go to a more comfortable area and, Michelle, I'll guide you through an adjusted medication routine. We'll do a follow-up in a month after the new medications take effect."
I looked at the psychiatrist and asked "A month? New medication? I'm sorry?"

The psychiatrist rose with his clipboard, overshadowing the investigator by at least 2 feet, and myself by 3. He spoke bluntly. "Michelle, this is in your best interest-we are trying to help. There is obvious confusion regarding the whereabouts of Carmella and we really would appreciate any help you could provide to finding your friend. What the investigators and myself have found, in addition to what you've told us, have all been critical in the search for your friend. You will need to bear with us for just a little while longer, please. And you will need your medications changed, it is for the best."
The psychiatrist, a thin man with a wispy beard hanging from his chin, walked towards the door behind the investigator. He continued,  "And together, in another month, we will try this again in a much less...confined place. Does that sound good? Don't worry about work or expenses, of course, we will have those matters covered for you."

I stammered, confused and betrayed. I can't scream or fight from this. They will only have more reason to take me, and with whatever force they'll pretend is necessary. All I could do was comply. "Okay. One month."